


A Kingdom And This

by All-things-Capri (Snowbazzz_lyf)



Category: Captive Prince - C. S. Pacat
Genre: Auguste visits Laurent, Fluff and Angst, M/M, No Smut, Post-Canon, Soft Damen, Wedding Night, which means angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-12
Updated: 2019-08-12
Packaged: 2020-08-20 02:54:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,023
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20220619
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Snowbazzz_lyf/pseuds/All-things-Capri
Summary: At the night of his wedding, Laurent can't sleep and gets an unexpected visit from someone.





	A Kingdom And This

**Author's Note:**

> My first Capri fanfic and I am hella nervous. Show some love, k?

Laurent stood alone in the balcony, the wind playing with his hair, making it dance around his face. Even though he was standing on a height, he could smell the sweet scents of various night blooms, wafting along with the breeze that blew. The stars twinkled, flickering like fireflies, and the moon shone brightly.

He was feeling overwhelmed, but in a good way. The day had been the happiest day of his life, he had finally got married to Damianos, the king of Akielos and his heart. They held the centre, they had a newly built palace, they were the kings of Akielos and Vere and they were married. It had all melted into one blissful fact: Laurent had got all that he had wanted, but had dared not to hope for.

He knew that right now, he should perhaps be sleeping next to Damen in his strong arms, not caring about anything in the world, just enjoying this warm feeling. But even after an entire day of festivities, celebrations and then, eventual slow, passionate love making, he was tired but not sleepy. He knew that something was still missing or perhaps, it was just his euphoria, but whatever the reason was, Laurent couldn't sleep. He could just stand alone on the balcony attached to his and Damen's chambers, in a shirt and loose pants, gazing across the distance.

“Hello, brother.”

He startled out of his reverie and turned his head. His mouth went slack as he saw the person standing behind him, staring fondly at him, the way he had used to when he would beat him at a game of chess.

_Auguste_.

For the first time in his life, Laurent was speechless. It was the sheer shock of seeing his dead elder brother standing behind him that had robbed him of his ability to speak. He could only stand rooted to his spot, his blue eyes wide with shock.

“Hello, brother.” Auguste said, again. “Such a marvelous night, don't you think?”

Laurent closed his mouth and swallowed while his brother came closer and took a position next to him. He was still smiling as he inclined his head to one side, gazing across the palace gardens and into the distance.

He was looking exactly the way he had looked when Laurent had seen him alive for the last time, still wearing his deep blue and silver clothes, his hair still tied up in an elaborate braid, eyes bright and so _alive_.

“I suppose, it is a beautiful night, quite possibly, as beautiful as today was for you.” Auguste mused, answering his own question before he grinned at his brother and patted his shoulders.

Laurent was finally waking up from his daze and now, emotions of all kind were running through him, most profound of all were immeasurable grief and love. He was aware of how vulnerable he was in that moment but it was Auguste he was with. Auguste, his elder brother, who would never take advantage of him, who would let win every time when they had raced their ponies across green fields, who had always listened to him babble about some new book he had found, who had saved him from the scoldings of their parents on many occasions, who had doted on him and protected him fiercely for years, who had died eight years ago in Marlas at the hands of the man Laurent had got married to.

He didn't know what to feel, what to say.

“I am so happy for you and I am so proud.” Auguste whispered, squeezing his shoulder. “You have been so brave, so strong and I am proud of you, my little baby brother, we all are. Mother, father and I.”

A choked sob was all Laurent could manage in response as he trembled with grief, tears already flowing down his lovely, pale face.

“Don't cry. You are fine, Damen is fine. You are going to be a wonderful ruler, I know.”

“I didn't want the throne.” Laurent whispered honestly, his voice raw and filled with anguish. “I only wanted you to be alive.”

“I wanted that, too, but perhaps then, you might not have got married to Damen.”

Laurent's lower lip trembled. Auguste or Damen? A brother or a lover? He knew he would never be able to make that choice.

“See?” Auguste said after a long time and smiled softly at his brother. “In the end, you are happy and that was all I had ever wanted. You and Damen are going to be revolutionary rulers, the people will love you, they already do. You can do this well, I have full faith in you.”

He kissed Laurent's forhead in a manner of blessing, who in turn closed his eyes in response, tears still flowing down his face, accepting his brother's blessing. When he opened them again, Auguste was gone.

He didn't know why, but he had been expecting him to do that. Sighing, he turned back towards the garden and wiped away his tears.

“Laurent?”

He turned again and saw Damen standing in his chiton, looking dazed, a bit sleepy, a bit concerned. His heart swelled with love for him, for this man who was a barbarian but strong and kind and good and gentle and brave.

“What are you doing here?” Damen asked softly before he came upto him and wrapped his arms around his waist, bending a little, kissing Laurent's neck before placing his chin on his shoulder.

“I couldn't sleep.”

“Mhm. That's fine.” He was sounding so sleepy, it was making Laurent laugh a little. “Do you think you can now?”

“Yes, yes I think so.”

“Good.”

They both stumbled towards their bed and as Damen pulled Laurent close into his chest, burying his face in his husband's blonde hair, he gave a happy and content sigh. Laurent finally felt the soothing clutches of sleep around himself as he listened to his own heartbeat getting mixed with Damen's.

_A kingdom or this?_ Laurent had asked himself once. Once the answer had been neither for him.

But now it wasn't.

Now, he had a kingdom _and_ this.


End file.
